


Smoke and Fire

by Beautifulsoulheart



Series: Smoke and Fire 'Verse [1]
Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: F/M, Gen, ben and mal have a daughter, how does one tag?, mal gets blamed for something bad, shes going to be queen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 18:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11606064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautifulsoulheart/pseuds/Beautifulsoulheart
Summary: For ten years Maddie had been told that her mother had been this awful villain. Now about to be crowned the first Queen of Auradon she's set out to prove her whole kingdom wrong, including her father.





	Smoke and Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Finally I can call this thing done and finished! I played around with this idea about a year ago and after some trials and errors and the new movie coming out I finished this thing. 
> 
> A big thank you to Ashleigh [ harrythe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrythe/profile) because she's read this thing, made it better and has loved everything that I have written for it. I love ya babes!

 

"You can't possibly think I would do something so stupid like set my mom free," Mal plead her case in front of the Royal court.

"We have you on tape your highness," one of the dwarves protested.

"Look at the time! I put Princess Maddie down at that time everyday like clockwork," Mal refused to stand down. She may have had her issues with her mother but she never would have freed her and let her ruin her slice of happiness that she had acquired for herself.

"But that is you," Ben looked at his wife.

"It is not!"

"Don't you raise your voice at your king!" Ben snapped at his wife.

"I can't believe you don't trust me. I would never do something that would put our daughter in danger. We all know what my mother is capable of," the purple haired woman looked around the room. "But you all still view me as a villain kid. You've made up your minds."

"Queen Mal of the United States of Auradon. You are hereby stripped of your title and banished to exile back on the Isle of the Lost," Ben stared coldly at his wife.

"That's not fair!" Evie yelled from behind her friend.

"She didn't do this," Carlos exclaimed from his spot next to Evie.

"Silence. It has been decided by me your king," the brunette man looked at his friends as well, or at least former friends.

"What about Maddie Ben? She needs me," Mal pleaded.

"She will stay here and be raised as a princess without your evil interference."

"She's my daughter as well! You can't keep her from me. She needs me!"

"She doesn't need a villain as a role model."

"I still want to see her grow up. Can you at least grant me that wish?" The former queen looked up at her husband.

"You can get supervised video calls twice a week. That is all I will allow."

"Thank you. Your majesty," Mal bowed and allowed herself to be taken back to her cell in the Royal prison.

A few days later she was allowed to say goodbye to her friends and daughter with the company of the Royal guards and her husband.

"Mommy I don't want you to go," Maddie hugged her mother.

"My sweet Maddie. I don't want to go either but I have to," Mal held her daughter close to her. "Take care of your daddy for me. He gets very tense when he has to play King for too long."

"I will mommy. I love you," the little girl pulled away and went to stand by her father.

Mal stood up and briefly looked at her husband before she was bombarded with hugs from her friends.

"We'll look after her Mal," Evie pulled away and looked at her best friend. She couldn't believe the kingdom had turned on her so quickly.

"I know you will E," Mal pulled her friend into on last hug. "I still want to be named godmother to all your kids."

"I wouldn't have anyone else for the job," Evie wiped the tears that started to fall.

"Carlos. I expect nothing but great things from you," Mal looked at the scientist.

"Nothing could change my curiosity."

"Jay. Don't teach my daughter how to steal anymore," Mal punched the long haired man in the arm.

"It's only a little misplacing," Jay rubbed his arm and then hugged the woman. "We'll keep an eye on her for you." He whispered into her ear before he pulled away.

"I guess this is it," Mal looked at the small crowd once again and got into the car that would take her back to the Isle.

As the car pulled away Maddie tried to chase after it in hopes of bringing her mother back but Jay grabbed her and held her in her arms.

Mal watched the scene and finally allowed herself to cry. Her mother had always taught her not to cry in front of many, it was a sign of weakness.

"I want mommy," Maddie cried to her uncle Jay as he held her.

"I know Mads. We all want her back," Jay petted the small girls lavender hair.

"Maddie it's time to go," Ben held his arms out to his daughter.

"No!" Maddie screamed as she clung to the former thief.

"Madison we have to go," Ben sighed impatiently at her daughter.

"Ben. She just lost her mother," Evie reminded the man.

"Mal should have thought of that before she freed Maleficent," the King snarled as he grabbed his daughter against her protest.

The small group of friends looked at their king as he got into the Royal limousine with the six year old girl. They couldn't help but feel sorry for her, she was too young to be split apart from one of her parents.

The next ten years went by surprisingly fast for Mal for being back on the Island. A place that never really changes.

Maddie changed every time Mal saw her for their video calls. The older she got they talked more and more about the boys she liked and less of how much they missed each other. It was always implied between the two.

Evie would keep her informed on what was happening in the kingdom through the goblins who brought in the barges. The blue haired woman informed her first of Ben's engagement to Audrey before even the whole kingdom knew.

Today was a special day for Maddie though. She was turning sixteen and soon she would be the first reigning Queen of Auradon.

As Mal woke up that day in her bed in the Bargain Castle she felt her heart sink. She knew the day every year without having to look at a calendar.

The woman got up and dressed for the day and made her way to the main area of the castle and was greeted by her mother. After they managed to recapture Maleficent they sent her back to the Isle which meant that Mal was forced to live with her mother again.

"Is it that time of year again?" Maleficent commented as she saw her daughter make her appearance.

"Not today mother," Mal opened the fridge and saw the barren space. It was normal now for there not to be much in the fridge.

"It sucks watching your daughter live her life from the outside you know. I've been there," Maleficent looked at her daughter.

"Except I actually take interest in my daughter. You never once asked me about my life," Mal scowled at her mother.

"That's my nasty little girl," Maleficent walked over to the front door. "I'm going to spread mayhem. Enjoy being sour."

Mal slammed the fridge door which caused it to shake a little. Her mother always got to her, even now as she was an adult with her own daughter she still managed to make her angry.

Mal walked over to the balcony and looked over to the palace in the distance. She could only imagine that her daughter was just waking up for the day.

Maddie woke up and rolled over to turn off the alarm clock that she was forever throwing out of her room. She hated being woken up and yet everyday a new one would appear in her room.

Today was her birthday. She was going allowed to sleep in for as long as she wanted.

"Princess Maddie. Your father is requesting to see you this morning," one of the palace servants knocked on her bedroom door and poked his head inside.

"Tell my father he can wait until a reasonable hour," Maddie threw a pillow in the general direction of the door and buried herself under her lush blankets. She had no interest in seeing her father and her stepmother, who always seemed to be by his side.

Just as she had allowed herself to get comfortable and almost back into her slumber she heard her bedroom door open. She was about to yell at whoever it was when she saw that it was her father and her dreaded stepmother.

"Madison. You're going to be Queen soon. You shouldn't waste the day in bed," her father walked over and opened her curtains. Her aunt Evie always said that she inherited get love of dark spaces from her mother. It always brought comfort in some way.

"Good morning to you too father. What do I owe the pleasure?" Maddie sat up in her bed.

"Seeing as you are going to be Queen soon it is time we prepare the arrangements for your coronation," Ben looked at his daughter. She was almost a carbon copy of Mal, except her hair was a lighter purple.

"I'm sure they can wait until I'm fully rested," the princess looked at her father. Ever since her mother's banishment the two had grown apart and had been at odds.

"She's right Bennyboo. Let's give her some time to rest. It's not everyday you turn sixteen," Audrey, her stepmother placed a hand on her husband's arm.

Ben sighed knowing he had lost this battle. He had been trying for years to get Maddie ready for ruling the kingdom but she was rebellious.

"Happy birthday Maddie," both Audrey and her father called as they exited her room.

As much as she wanted to go to bed she was now up and forced to deal with the day sooner than she wanted. Pushing the blankets aside in her bed she walked over to her closet and proceeded to pull out her special birthday dress that Evie had made just for her.

Just as she was finishing her hair her door opened once again after being followed by a knock. The door revealed her boyfriend Jason, Evie and Doug's oldest son.

"Happy birthday Mads," Jason pulled a bouquet of lilies from behind his back.

Maddie smiled as she walked over to him and placed a kiss on his lips. "Thank you."

"Mom told me to remind you not to make plans for lunch."

"Unfortunately I'm being dragged into coronation planning by my father and the step queen," Maddie sighed as she smelled the lilies.

"Have you heard from your mom yet?" Jason asked sitting on the foot of her four poster bed.

"I will probably later when dad is around to remind her that she isn't here because of her own actions," the soon to be queen fell back into the sheets.

"Mom also gave me something else to give you," Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out a large velvet box.

"This isn't what I think it is?" Maddie looked at her boyfriend.

"No. No, just open it. It's from your mom."

Maddie took the box and opened the lid slowly. Every year her mom managed to sneak small gifts to her from the island. They usually weren't much but she loved them all the same.

As she finally got the lid opened she saw that inside was the dragon claw necklace she had seen many times over the small pixelated screen on their video calls. It was special to her mom because it was the first gift her grandmother had given her on her own sixteenth birthday.

Maddie hadn't realized that she had been crying until Jason wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"She should be here," Maddie cried as she looked down at the box.

"And she would if she could. She loves you though," Jason kissed the top of her head. "Do you want to put it on?"

"No. Dad will see it and know that she's sending things from the island again."

The two teenagers eventually walked downstairs and into the parlor where her father and stepmother were talking to the Royal party planner.

"There she is. The future queen of Auradon," Jane smiled.

"She's not queen just yet," Ben smiled good heartedly.

"I know. We have a coronation to plan and then a ball. Which is why I am here," the woman patted the seat next to her for the two lovebirds.

"I don't want a huge ball," Maddie said seriously. Her being crowned Queen was a huge moment and she didn't want the reminder that her mother couldn't be there to help with planning.

"Nonsense. You're going to be the first Reigning Queen of Auradon. We have to celebrate," Audrey looked at her stepdaughter.

"Yeah and what about my mother? She can't celebrate with me because she's on the island," Maddie stood up.

"Your mother is where she belongs Madison. And watch your attitude with your stepmother," Ben stood up and faced his daughter.

"I only have one mother and she's not it!" Maddie marched her way to the parlor door. "I'm sorry for wasting your time Jane."

As Maddie stalked out of the room she found herself leaving the palace grounds. Her feet were on auto pilot as she found the stables and mounted her horse. Riding in a dress wasn't ideal but she needed to leave as fast as she could. Riding by horse wasn't the normal way of travel but Maddie loved the way that she almost felt as though she was flying while riding.

The enchanted lake was a place both of her parents took her to before her mother was banished. They always held picnics and she listened with bright eyes as her father told her of how this spot was the one where he realized he truly loved her mother.

The lake was the first place she ran away to after her mother left. It took her father hours to find her but she was curled up on the smooth warm stone sleeping. Taking off her shoes Maddie dipped her feet into the warm water.

The girl leaned against the pillar and looked out to the waterfall. She could still see her mother and father jumping from the top as she watched and saw how in love they were.

After awhile her phone chimed with a video message alert. It had to be her mother. Carlos had invented a way for them to talk unlimited without her father knowing.

"Hi mom," Maddie genuinely smiled for maybe the second time that day.

"Happy birthday Mads," her mother smiled at her.

"Thanks mom," the teenager moved to lay down.

"Are you at the lake again?" Mal asked her daughter.

"I needed to get away. Dad made me mad," the lavender haired girl explained.

"So you ran away?" The woman slightly frowned.

"Not really. I'm just calming down before I spell his hair away again," Maddie grinned. She hadn't meant to when she was younger to make her father bald. It had sort of happened after he told her to start acting like a princess,

"I remember that. Even the fairies couldn't get it back," Mal giggled but quickly sobered up. "You have to remember you're going to be queen. You can't abandon a situation you don't agree with."

"He keeps trying to put doubt in my faith of you."

"To him and the kingdom I'm guilty. And it will stay that way probably forever but you can't let this detour your path."

"I just hate that you aren't with me."

"So do I. Now go back to the palace and apologize to your father so we can have our "official" video chat."

"I love you mom. Thank you for my gift."

"You're welcome Maddie."

Maddie put her phone down and allowed herself one more minute of peace before she had to face her father. Life would be a lot simpler if she could just prove her mother was innocent.

That's when the idea struck her. She was going to prove her mother wasn't guilty of setting her grandmother free and clear her name.

Maddie waited at the lake for a few more minutes before she crossed the stones to where her horse was grazing in a patch of grass.

"You ready to go Chestnut?" Maddie approached the stallion. Besides Hannah and Jason she had known the horse her whole life. He had been a gift from both her parents.

The horse looked at her and nuzzled her. He always seemed to know when she was upset.

"I'm going to clear mom's name and get her back."

The white horse neighed as he shuffled a bit forward.

"And you'll get a carrot if you keep this to yourself," Maddie joked as she mounted her horse again.

It was dark by the time they had reached the castle. Maddie had decided to take a slow route back before she had to deal with her father again.

"Your father has been worried about you," the stable boy Anthony informed her.

"I'm aware. He has called me nonstop and I refused to answer. Can you make sure he gets an extra big carrot tonight?"

"Anything for the future queen," Anthony bowed and proceeded to but the horse back into his stall.

"Madison Reign where have you been?"

"Hi dad," Maddie responded to her father as she opened the door to her bedroom.

"You can't just leave like that Maddie! You're going to be Queen. You need to start acting like it," Ben looked at his daughter. He had been worries for hours waiting for her to come back.

"I can't act like my whole life is about to change and the one person who I want the most to be here isn't even allowed to be there," Maddie paced around the room. This had been a fight long coming.

"You're just like her! You can't go about doing what you want without consequences," the man yelled.

"I wouldn't know! You never talk about her! I have to get information from everyone else!"

"I thought she had changed but she didn't at all," Ben said defeated and sat on the bed.

"You can't keeping pretending she doesn't exist dad. She's my mom," Maddie sat down next to her father. "I've only known her kindness and that's what I know to be true."

"She turned into a dragon once," Ben laughed at the memory. At the time it had been terrifying but he had seen another part of her that he had loved more.

"Uncle Jay mentioned it once and the Aunt Lonnie told him to shut up and handle the twins," Maddie laughed. She had believed it still, that her mother could turn into a dragon. She was also pretty sure that if she herself had tried hard enough she could turn into one too.

"I'm pretty sure she didn't even mean to. Her eyes turned that emerald green color that yours turns into when you're stressed and then it sort of happened."

"You really loved her didn't you?"

"I thought it was true love. But it wasn't meant to be apparently," The king stood up and headed for the bedroom door. "Try not to give me heart attacks Maddie. You're the only thing I have left."

"Night dad," the teenager looked at her father. If talking to her father did anything it cemented her decision to prove that her mother wasn't innocent.

 

* * *

 

A few days had past before she actually got a chance to talk to anyone. Her father had made sure that someone knew her whereabouts so that she couldn't run away again.

Her grandparents where the exception though. She rarely saw them since their retirement castle was on the other side of Auradon.

"There is my Maddie!" Belle greeted her granddaughter. Maddie hugged the woman.

"Hi grandma, where's the old beast?" Maddie looked for her grandfather.

"You know he only lets you call him that," her grandmother remarked.

"It's because I'm the favorite," the teenager laughed.

"Maddie!" The former kings voice came from behind the two women.

"Beastie!"

"Excuse me young lady its grandpa beastie," the older man pulled both women into a hug.

"Where is your father and Audrey, Maddie?" Belle asked before coaxing her husband to let them out of their hug.

"Honestly? I really don't care. I want to ask you and Grandpa a question anyways," Maddie looked at her grandparents.

"Let's go sit in the parlor then. We can have tea and wait for them," Belle suggested leading the trio towards the west wing where the parlor was

After settling in and getting tea ready Maddie sat between her grandparents and listened to her grandfather's story of fishing with Prince Eric.

"Dear. Maddie wanted to ask us something so let's hear her out."

"Do you actually believe my mom could set Maleficent free?" The teenager cut to the chase.

"Never in a million years. Your mother wouldn't jeopardize your safety. She loves you so much. She had been terrified at the idea of telling your father that she was pregnant," Beast looked at his granddaughter.

"Why do you ask Maddie?" Belle looked at the teenager.

"I want to prove that she's innocent," the teenager played with her hands.

"Tell us what you need," the former queen grabbed the young princesses hand.

"Everything from that night. All the footage you can get me as fast as you can."

"You're planning something."

"I have a plan for my coronation, if everything works out the way I want."

After about thirty more minutes her father and Audrey had joined them after they had come back from a shopping trip. Maddie had excused herself then. Even though she had been talking to her father again she couldn't get the look of how wistful his face had been while talking about her mother.

Whenever her grandparents visited they usually had a huge feast to celebrate them being in town. Maddie normally hated them because she had to smile a lot and play nice with her step mother.

"I have a present for you," Her father cornered her before she entered the dining room.

"I'm sure I don't deserve one," Maddie looked at her father.

"You're gonna want this one," Ben reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar looking ring. "I gave your mother this ring a long time ago. I thought maybe you should have it."

Maddie smiled and hugged her father. Until recently her mother had been a very rough topic for them both but this was progress in the right direction.

* * *

Maddie had been slightly been stressed out with planning her coronation and her father had taken a step backwards towards their progress.

Ben had been so unhappy when he found Mal's gift to her, that he had personally video called her mother and they had proceeded to have a blowout of an argument that ended in her mother not being able to make two weeks worth of their video chats.

Maddie had never been so upset in her life. She had refused to be in the same room as her father and had taken to staying with her Uncle Jay and Aunt Lonnie.

"You know Maddie your dad has been by a few times now," Lonnie entered the guest room of her and Jay's modest cottage.

"I'm not ready to talk to him. I don't want to talk to him for awhile. I can go to Aunt Evie's if I'm being a bother. Although I might because that will give dad a heart attack," Maddie smiled at the idea. It had been about a day since she had seen Jason anyways.

"No need to give your father a heart attack. Besides didn't Carlos invent a way for you and Mal to talk anytime he wanted."

"Yeah but he figured that out while we were arguing because mom chose that exact moment to want to talk."

"Well you have a coronation speech to write," the Asian woman looked at the young girl. "Belle and Beast sent you a package by the way."

"Thanks Aunt Lonnie," Maddie looked at the envelope and reached for it. If it was what she thought it was it was going to make her coronation day something that the whole kingdom wouldn't forget.

A few hours into video surveillance Maddie had found exactly what she was looking for. The time stamp on the original video had been correct but her parents had been smart enough to install cameras throughout the castle for protection and it had worked because she found her mom leaving her room at the exact time that Malficent was set free.

Maddie had been so engrossed in the videos that she hadn't heard anyone come into the room.

"Wait stop that there."

"Beast's castle!" Maddie jumped from her spot on the bed. "Uncle Jay!"

"We never saw that before," The man looked at the screen.

"What are you talking about?" The princess looked at her uncle.

"I've never seen that angle and the tv stations played the video from that night for a week straight."

Jay and Maddie watched the screen for a few minutes before the pressing pause.

"If that's who actually set Maleficent free then," Jay looked at the girl.

"Then the last ten years have been based on a lie. Uncle Jay I have phone calls to make. Don't tell anyone about this," the girl looked at the man. He had aged a bit in his years but his hair was still as long as it had been since she was a kid.

"You're gonna expose this at your coronation aren't you?"

"The whole kingdom needs to see this. My mom is innocent."

After about two weeks Ben had finally broken down and convinced Jay to let him talk to Maddie.

"I should have went to the retirement castle," Maddie deadpanned upon seeing her father sitting on the bed she had claimed for the past two weeks.

"Maddie I'm sorry," Ben looked at his daughter. "I shouldn't have gotten so upset at you. You miss your mother and I get that now."

"I'm about to be Queen of Auradon dad. My mother is on an island and I can't visit her! I'm also a teenage girl who has a lot of questions about things I refuse to ask Audrey about," Maddie ranted.

"I was so focused on punishing your mother that I didn't think about how it would effect you at all," the king sighed.

"Mom has done nothing but love me and I chose to believe that that is the kind of person she is."

"How long have you been able to talk to your mom?" Ben asked. He sort of dreaded the answer.

"Since I turned twelve. Uncle Carlos was able to duplicate the wavelength that the barrier gives off and sync it to a phone he sent mom," Maddie explained. "At least that's how he explained it to me."

"I just can't take anymore lies Maddie."

"I promise no more lies dad. In full disclosure Jason proposed last week and the wedding is for my eighteen birthday."

"That's not funny Maddie."

"Who said I was lying?" Maddie laughed as she walked away from the room to let her father be confused for a bit. She had actually been lying but her dad didn't need to know that just yet.

* * *

 

Coronation day had come faster than Maddie would have liked, but she was excited and glad that it had finally come. Today she was going to prove to everyone that her mother was innocent.

A knock on the door had interrupted her monologue and she had been glad for that.

"Knock knock my queen," Jason greeted as he entered her room. "Your dad sent me to tell you that the carriage is waiting."

Maddie smiled as she checked the mirror one more time before she left. Today was going to leave a statement and she needed to look perfect. Her lavender hair was pulled into an updo much like her mother's had been on the day her father had been crowned king.

Maddie had also convinced Evie in to making a gown that was blue with purple crowns on it. It was a little part of her mother that made her nerves go down a bit.

"If it isn't the soon to be king of Auradon," Maddie giggled. Ever since she had kept the charade up of her and Jason getting married up her father had taken to limiting their time together.

"That's not funny Maddie. My mom is actually starting to plan a wedding," the young man glared at his girlfriend. "My dad is already telling me that kids are not to come until we graduate college."

"Don't worry Jason by the time my dad realizes I lied we'll probably be engaged for real by then."

"I don't get a say in this?"

"You get to choose the ring you give me and the name of our first born son."

"First born any gender and I won't tell your dad you're messing with him," the brown haired boy held out his hand to the girl.

"Deal," Maddie laughed taking the outstretched hand.

Jason pulled the girl closer to him and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too."

"We need to go before your dad comes up here and bans us from being in the same room," the young man looked at the door.

"He could try."

Sitting in the carriage on the way to the church actually was a lot more calm than what her dad had told her. The subjects were out to greet her so she smiled and waved as she and Jason held hands and laughed at the idea of the whole thing. Her life was about to get more complicated than she could imagine.

The ride had also been a lot shorter than she anticipated as well. Before she knew it she was waiting to make her entrance into the church and have fairy godmother give her oath so that should officially take the throne.

The doors opened to reveal throngs of people, some of them she barely knew, but her family and her friends where in the front and Jason was close enough to the front that she could she him mouthing "breathe" while she walked passed.

"We're here today to crown Princess Madison Reign as our first governing Queen of the United States of Auradon. Do you Princess Maddie promise to govern the people of Auradon with fairness and all that is good?" Fairy Godmother started as soon as she had reached the altar.

"I do," Maddie smiled and looked at her father. This was the moment she had been looking forward to.

"Then it is by the powers in all the land that I pronounce you Queen Madison Reign of Auradon," Fairy Godmother smiled and placed the crown on her head. It had been her fathers crown around the band that wrapped around her head but it had been modified to be worn by Maddie.

The crowd had burst into applause. Most of the people in the room had known her since she was a child. They were excited for her to rule in her own right.

"People of Auradon I know I've barely been Queen for less than a minute but I have something that is going to change the way you view my mother Mal," Maddie looked out to the crowd. Her uncle Jay had given her a thumbs up and it had been enough courage to continue on. "I recently lead an investigation into the night Maleficent was released and found new evidence that proves my mother's innocence."

"What are you saying Maddie?" Ben looked at his daughter.

"My mother is innocent. She didn't free Maleficent, I found a lost security tape of that night and it shows who really set her free," Maddie said to the crowd. It was now time to use her Queen voice, the one she had practiced for many years. "It was Audrey."

"That's insane!" Audrey screamed from her play by Ben. "She's a liar."

"Play the tapes."

Soon the projector started playing two views of the night Maleficent was set free. One was the tape everyone in Auradon had seen but it had cut out just before the end. The other tape was from a different angle and showed that after Maleficent was set free the glamour spell was cancelled to reveal Audrey.

The crowd gasped as they looked at the former Queen. Murmurs started to flow through the crowd.

"I would never set someone as vicious as Maleficent free. You obviously created this tape."

"We all need to know who set Maleficent free that night. Show us the one who caused such a fright," Maddie cast the spell that she had been working on for weeks. Sure enough after the weeks of practice a bright yellow orb floated around the room before it landed on Audrey. "Magic never lies step mother."

"Why would you do something like this?" Ben looked at his wife.

"You were so blinded by her change that you forgot that she was the daughter of the worst villain of all time. My mother grew up without her parents because of her mother!"

"And you took mine from me!" Maddie raised her voice. "I spent ten years without my mother for a crime she didn't commit and to have her be labeled a villain at your hands."

"She is a villain."

"The only villain here is you. So you will be treated as such. You will be exiled to the Isle of the Lost for your crime and stripped of your status and title."

"You can't do this!"

"I am now Queen. I have the authority to rid this country of any threats to our way of living and you pose a threat."

Watching Audrey being taken away by royal guards was partly satisfying. A part of her wanted to see a more severe punishment but it would be cruel and she was not going to be known as that kind of queen.

"Maddie," her father tried to get the courage to talk to her.

"Not now dad. I have to bring mom home," Maddie picked up the train of her dress and ran towards the front of the church.

* * *

 

Mal couldn't believe what she saw. Her daughter had managed to prove to the whole kingdom that she was innocent.

"Well my secret is out," Maleficent muttered as she walked across the room.

"How could you mother?"

"To show you that no matter how good you are you're always going to be a villain's daughter."

"I missed my daughter growing up because of you!" The purple haired woman had to refrain herself from launching at her mother.

"And she turned out to be a goody two shoes just like her mother," the older woman walked to the balcony of the castle. "She's here."

Mal didn't hesitate for a second before she ran down the stairs of the bargain castle and out the front door. Maddie was waiting for her when she finally made her way downstairs. She was a bit taller than Mal had expected. Maddie must have came straight there because she was still wearing her formal gown.

"Mom!" The teenager rushed to her mother and hugged her

"Maddie," Mal sighed taking in the scent of her daughters hair. It still was its normal lavender color. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. I'm taking you back," Maddie pulled away and looked at her mother. "You didn't deserve to be sent here in the first place."

"Your father-"

"Dad will have to get used to it. I have you back mom and I'm not letting you go."

"Then I want you to wait in the limo and lock the doors while I get my things. You're grandmother is lurking around and I'd rather not have her try to get inside your head," Mal looked around for maleficent just in case.

"I will."

"I don't have a lot of things. I'll be back soon."

Maddie looked around the Isle and sighed. It had improved a bit from the pictures she had seen once, since her father had been so adamant about making it a more livable place it had a slightly more relaxed feel but she knew to be careful.

The teenager pulled on her dress a bit. She had wished she had brought her cellphone or something to be entertained with. Jason was probably worried about her and Lord knows what her dad was doing at the moment.

All that Maddie had really cared about was that she had her mother back and that she had finally been able to prove tithe kingdom that her mother wasn't a villain.

A hand knocked on the limo door a few minutes later and Maddie rolled down the window without giving it a second thought.

"Aren't you the pretty granddaughter I imagined you would be," Maleficent's devilish smirk peered through the window.

"Maleficent," Maddie greeted her other grandmother.

"Is that such a way to treat family?"

"I don't know. Is framing your daughter a perfect example of how to treat family?"

"What a nasty little girl! You are from my bloodline," the older fairy laughed as she walked away in time for Mal to come back to the limo with a small purple bag of belongings.

"Leave her alone mother!"

"Have fun back in Auradon Mal. Tell Ben I said hello," Maleficent called from the entrance of the Bargain Castle.

Mal ignored her mother as Maddie unlocked the car and let her in. "Don't listen to her Maddie."

"She doesn't bother me," the young queen looked at her mother. It had been a long time since she had seen her mother in person and not over some screen. "You're staring mom."

"I just can't get over how much you look like him," Mal said wistfully.

"According to dad I have your personality and laugh."

"I believe it," the purple haired woman looked out the window and watched as the streets of the isle roamed by her. "So where are we going?"

"Back home."

Mal let Maddie fill her in on the last few weeks of her life since Ben had taken all forms of their communication from them she hadn't been updated on anything that had been going on in her daughter's life.

"You told your dad that you and Jason were engaged?" Mal looked at her daughter as they finally crossed the magical bridge and entered Auradon.

"It's not like it wasn't entirely true. We're kind of engaged," Maddie smiled as she thought of Jason. Knowing him he was going to be waiting back at the castle for her to show up.

"I wish I could have seen his face when you told him."

"It was priceless. It was like the time you told him that you were going to divorce him for the prank war he started with Uncle Jay and Uncle Carlos. "

The older woman laughed at the memory. Ben had started a huge prank war that he had started by putting hair dye in both Jay and Carlos' shampoo bottles. It had ended after Maddie had came home and her skin had been slightly stained green from food dye.

"To be fair you were dyed green in the crossfire," Mal laughed again. "I've never seen the guys so terrified."

"Queen Maddie we're pulling up," the driver in the front had informed them.

"Thanks Hank," Maddie looked outside the window. As the limo pulled up to the castle she could see a small group emerge from inside.

"Looks like news spreads fast," The older woman deadpanned.

"I'm sure Aunt Evie tried to hold them off as long as she could," the young queen opened the door once the limo started. "Alright give her some space. She's only been a free woman for like an hour."

"Thanks Maddie," Mal laughed as she got out of the limo and was immediately pulled into a large group hug.

"Mal we've missed you," Evie spoke as she looked at her best friend. "Have you not been using the skincare line I sent you?"

"Evie, there are more important things to worry about like the fact that she hasn't been to Auradon in ten years," Jay rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Guys! Can I get a little space?" Mal yelled at her family. In honesty she hadn't been ready for such a huge reunion just yet.

"By order of the new queen you all are to go home and wait until she comes to you," Maddie spoke up from Jason's arms. He had found her immediately and told her how proud of her he had been.

"Maddie." Different cries of protest had erupted from the small group.

"I have spoken. Don't make me turn it into a decree guys," Maddie looked at her mother. She had been fine for a moment but her eyes had flashed a familiar green that told her she was overwhelmed.

"Call me later ok?" Evie asked her friend before being escorted away by her husband.

Mal mouthed a quick thank you to her daughter before she got the courage to go inside. There had been one person absent from the group of people who greeted her and she was sure that he was waiting for her inside where it was quiet.

Walking up the staircase she turned right down the hallway to where his office had been the last time she had been inside the castle. It had changed a bit, there was new pictures of Maddie up on the walls and a portrait of Ben and Audrey as well.

The door had been opened slightly and she could see the Ben had been looking out of the window into the courtyard.

"Hi Ben," the woman spoke as she stepped into the office.

"Mal," Ben turned around to look at his ex wife. She had looked almost exactly the same except for the few wrinkles that had accumulated around her eyes, laugh lines probably.

"I don't think I've been this terrified since you were captured on the Isle," Mal walked over to the window to look out as well. Maddie and Jason were walking around holding hands and talking.

"Mal. I'm so sorry," Ben looked over at Mal. "You were innocent and I chose to believe a lie."

"It was a pretty convincing lie," the woman joked. "I would have believed it if I hadn't you know lived it."

"She believes in you a lot," the man tilted his head towards the window indicating that he had meant their daughter. "Even if I didn't."

"Ben. You couldn't have known. This is not your fault."

"But I let it happen! I was so convinced that you had chosen evil our family. Over me."

"I could never chose anything over you. True love tends to be almost as binding as marriage," Mal turned away from the window. Placing her back on the cool surface of the glass pane had helped with her body's temperature that seemed to spike a little. "Even if your ex husband marries a scheming pretty pink princess."

"In my defense it was only a marriage of convenience," Ben walked over and dug out something in his desk drawer. Finding what he was looking for her pulled out a black box and opened it before setting it on the corner for Mal to see. "I kept them"

Mal was speechless. In the box where their wedding rings. She could remember the day they had gone shopping looking for bands. The engagement ring he had given her as well was there set in its setting just above the sliver band.

"What did Audrey think about you keeping these?"

"There's a secret compartment where I keep stuff in here."

"Like your favorite chocolate bars that seemed to always disappear from the kitchen?"

"Something like that," Ben shrugged before picking the box back up again. "They brought these to me after you left. You left them in the cell."

"I couldn't look at them without being sad," Mal thought wistfully.

"Where do we go from here?"

"We guide Maddie to be Queen. She's what's most important right now. We'll figure us out later."

"I can live with that," the former king put the box back into the desk drawer.

Mal smiled a little bit before leaving the room. They were going to be fine. She could tell. Maddie had a lot of learning to do to be Queen of Auradon and Mal had a lot of learning being back in Auradon with her friends and the small group she called family. She and Ben would learn how to work together on a more platonic level, it was going to be a challenge but she was sure that they could do it. They had too for Maddie's sake.


End file.
